Reduction of survival and induction of chromosome aberrations in tobacco irradiated by carbon ions with different linear energy transfers.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between linear energy transfer (LET) and the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for survival reduction and chromosome aberration induction in plants.

Materials And Methods: Tobacco seeds were exposed to carbon ions having LET ranging from 92 to 260 keV microm(-1). Survival ratc was determined at 7 weeks after sowing.